Enterprise Architecture

An enterprise architecture (EA) is a rigorous description of the structure of an enterprise, which comprises enterprise components (business entities), the externally visible properties of those components, and the relationships between them. Open Group presented advantages of EA as below.

	Advantages
A more efficient IT operation	- Lower costs for software development, support, and maintenance - Increased portability of application - Improved interoperability and easier system and network management - Improved ability to address critical enterprise-wide issues like security - Easier upgrade and exchange of system components
Better return on existing investment, reduced risk for future investment	- Reduced complexity in IT infrastructure - Maximum return on investment in existing IT infrastructure - The flexibility to make, buy, or out-source IT solutions - Reduced risk overall in new investment, and the costs of IT ownership
Faster, simpler, and cheaper procurement	- Buying decisions are simpler, because the information governing procurement is readily available in a coherent plan - The procurement process is faster — maximizing procurement speed and flexibility without sacrificing architectural coherence - The ability to procure heterogeneous, multi-vendor open systems

There are many EA frameworks that define how to organize the structure and views associated with an EA. For example, TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework), DoDAF (Department of Defense Architecture Framework), Zachman Framework are well-known EA frameworks.